Carbureter



L. v. BERKEBILE.

CARBURETER.

APPLICATION FILED HAY I0. 916- 1 ,314,942. Patented Sept. 2,1919.

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L. V. BERKEBILE.

CARBURETER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIO. ma.

'1 ,3 1 4;, 942. V Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

awe/MM Leroy VBerfrebL'l.

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, L. V. BER KEBILE.

CARBURETER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. 1916.

1,314,942. Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

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Tl"! coLl lllA PLANOGIAPIII c0" VIAlNINflTON. b. C.

LEROY V. IBERKEBILE, 0F KAN'INER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARBURETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,683.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEROY V. BERKEBILE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kantner, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer-,

tain new and useful Improvements in Carbureters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in gas forming devices for carburetors, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a carburetor particularly adapted for use with low grade fuel, such as kerosene and heavy distillates which will be economical in the use of fuel and which will insure flexibility of engine operation.

A stillfurther object of my invention is the provision of a carbureter of the above described character in which the liquid fuel is converted into a gas prior to its admixture with air, the gaseous fuel meeting the air just prior to its entrance into the engine manifold.

Heretofore, to the best of my knowledge, carbureters for use with kerosene and heavy distillate fuels have formed a moist or saturated vapor which, unless the air supplied was very hot, would condense even before it reached the combustion chambers of the engine, with the result that a considerable quantity of the fuel was not burnt at all or was burnt so slowly as to give but a small percentage of the power which the quantity of fuel used should create. My invention, by converting the fuel into a relatively dry gas and mixing it with the air, only just prior to its admission to the manifold, does away with all condensation of the fuel and insures a perfect and rapid combustion of the entire mixture entering the engine cylinders thus greatly increasing the power of the engine and thus doing away with carbon deposits in the engine cylinders.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a carbureter which will cause the engine to operate with equal efficiency, as regards the quantity of fuel used, no matter what the rate of speed at which the engine is running may be. Most carbureters, now in use, have a fuel feed which is dependent upon either air suction or pressure of the generated vapor, with the result that when the engine is running at less than its maximum rate of speed, which is the great majority of the time, an excess of fuel will be used as the mixture will be relatively rich. In other words, an, engine, with the ordinary form of carburetor may run at its full efficiency only when running at its maximum rate of speed. My invention aims to do away with this difiiculty by having the fuel supply controlling mechanism entirely independent of air suction or vapor pressure. As a result, the engine operator is furnished an engine having flexibility almost equaling that given to the operator of a steam engine and all unnecessary use of fuel is prevented.

. More specifically, the main object of my invention consists in the provision of a carbureter having a gas generating chamber into which the liquid fuel is fed and from which the gas generated is passed directly into the outlet passage of the carbureter, being mixed with the air inthis passage and in the manifold while on its way to the engine cylinders. In this connection, a further object of my invention consists in providing means whereby opening of the throttle valve controlling supply of fuel of the engine controls the rate at which fuel shall be fed to the gas generating chamber.

of the carbureter.

Another object of my invention consists in providing a carburetor having the above described fuel supplying means in which the air supply is automatic, being dependent upon the suction of the engine and, consequently, varying with the engine speed. In this connection, another object of my invention consists in the provision of an adjustable valve by means of which the amount of air supplied to the engine at any given speed may be regulated.

A stillfifurthcr object of my invention consists in the provision of an efficient means for converting the liquid fuel fed into the gas generating chamber into a relatively dry gas which, when mixed with air, will form a perfect explosive mixture.

\Vith these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved carbureter;

' Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view taken axially of the gas generating chamber and float chamber; V

'Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken axially of the gas generating chamber and at'right angles to the view shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the throttle V valve Fig. 5 is a perspectlve view ofthe throttle valve lever and the cam carried by it which controls the rate of feed offliquid fuel'tofthe gas generating chamber; 7 Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of a modified form of heater for converting commonly employed upon motor vehicles and--' I'wish it'underst'ood that I do not intend to;

' limitmyself to any specific type, shape or proportion "of parts, reserving the right to make any changes within the scope of the appended claims, without in. the slightest degree departing fromithe spirit of my in vention. V

Broadly -speaking,my carbureter includes a vertically disposed hollow cylindrical body'lflfo'rmed adjacent its upper end and at one side with a lateral cylindrical enlargement or casing 11 providing a float chamber 1.2 and this body 10 and enlargement 11 are disposed tangentially with respectto eachother and are preferably connected by an integrally formed web 13.. The

float chamber, which is open at its upperend, is provided with a removable cover plate or closure 14 which maybe secured.

to'the wall of the, float chamber by screws or bolts: 15 and which is formed centrally p level somewhat above the liquid fuel level withanopening to receive a hollow cylindrical valve chamberl7 having a valve seat 16. Fuel is suppliedto this valve chamber through a laterally directed ,nipple 18 threaded for connection to a fuel supply pipe. The cover plate 14 is'further formed with avent opening 19 to relieve air pressure within the float chamber, admission of foreign matter through this, opening being prevented by a perforated cap or strainer 20 closing the opening. The bottom wall of the casing-l1 forming the float chamber 12 is provided-with an upstanding socketed boss 21 which forms a lower guide for the stem 22 of the float valve 23', the opposite end of the stem22 projecting into the valve chamber 17 and being guided by the valve seat 16. A float 24:, of any suitable type,

is adjustably mounted upon the stem 22 of the float valve and serves, in connection with l the float valve, to maintain a constant level of liquid fuel within the float chamber 12. A drain cook 25 may be tapped intothe bottom wall of the float chamber, if desired, p

athreaded flange 26' of a'substantially cupshaped heater 27, a bottom forming'plate,

28beingclamped between the lower end'of 'the body -10and the heater 27 to form a removable closure for the lower end of thebody. The peripheral wall of the heater 2? is perforated to receive binding posts 29 and a; heatin'g'coil 30 of any-suitable type is connected between these-binding posts,

being disposed within the body of the heater and below the bottom plate 28. Ob

viously, if suitable current is passed through the heating "coil 30, the bottom plate 28 will be heated and any liquid fuel dropped;

sprayed, splashed or otherwise deposited upon it will be converted into a relatively drygas A transverse partition ,wall- 31' extends.

across the body 10 of the carbureter in spaced relation to its lower end and with the body of the carbureter thebottom' plate 28 provides a gas generating chamber 32. This partition wall 31 is formed 'centr'al'ly with a relatively largeopening-to receive-a cylindrical'plug 33, the lower end of which is'preferably beveled, as shown.- This plug 33 is formed with an annular flange 34L engaging-against the lower face of thepartition wall 31 and a nut 35 thread-f ed about the upper portion of the plug and engaging the partition wall holds the plug in place. This plug'is formed with'a cham-- ber 36 which opens through its lower end to, provide a frusto-conical valve seat 37 and which,at its upper end, opens into a tubular extension 38 which projects to a in the float chamber 12. plurality of radial passages '39 communicate with the chamber 36 of the plug and" with a passage 40 extending from the lower portion of the I float chamber 12 through theweb-13-and into the partition wall 31, as shown'in Fig. 2.

The upper" open end: of the carbureter body '10 is closed by a cap plate 41 secured 1 ,by" screws or bolts 4 @1161 body the disk-shaped body 415 of the throttle I againsttheinner face of the cap plate ll is valveetfl. This throttle valve comprises the 7 body .45 and depending arcuate flange, 47.

which engages against the, inner face of the carbureter body and is movable to close the passage 43 to any desired extent through turning ofthe body 45. The body portion 45 of the throttle valve is formed centrally with an opening surrounded by an unstand-' tle valve is held against vertical movement.

The throttle valve lever 50, as clearly shown in F ig. 1 and Fig 5 is so proportioned and mounted upon the stem portion of the throttlevalve as to extend diametrically across .gf the carbureter and has one arm upwardly and outwardly, as shown at 53, to receive a link by means of which it may be connected to any suitable throttle valve controlling mechanism, such as the hand lever on a steering wheel or foot pedal.

An adjusting screw 54 having a milled or knurled head 55 is threaded through the opening of the throttle valve body. and is formed ,with an axial chamber or socket 56 extending to the head and with an opening the adjusting'screw 54. A helical spring 60 surrounds this stem and is located within the chamber of the adjusting screw, bearing at its upper .end' against the head of the screw and at its lower end against a collar .61 adjustab-ly secured upon the stem by a set screw 62. As will be apparent, this spring normally tendsto hold the fuel sup ply. valve 58 in closed position to prevent passage of fuel from the float chamber 12 into the gas generating chamber 32.

The upper end of the valve stem 59 is bent outwardly and downwardly, as shown at 63, and thenoutwardly in parallel spaced relation to :the top plate 41, as shown at 64,

to provide a, cam, engaging arm and the terminal of the valve stem as directed downwardly, as shown at 65, to seat in an opening'66 formed through the cap plate and the flange of the carbureter body to which the By this means, the valve stem. is held against turning movement, but is free for vertical movement to open and close the valve. A substantially .semiannular cam plate 67 has one end riveted I or otherwise secured to the throttle valve threaded openingto receive an adjustingscrew 68 having a milled head by means of which it may be readily turned. That end of the cam plate receiving the adjusting screw 68 extends above the opposite end of the throttle valve lever and the end of the shank of the screw engages the throttle valve lever. The cam plate 67 is formed of resilient metal and by proper manipulation of the adjusting crew 68,.the end carrying such; screw may be sprung upwardly to a more or less extent, as desired. The lateral arm 64 of the needle valve stem 59 engages the upper face of this cam plate and, as a result, the needle valve will be opened or closed during turning of the throttle valve lever to an extent dependent upon the setting of the cam plate and the amount of turning of the lever. The cam plate inclines gradually upward from its fixed to its'free end, but adjacent its fixed end is formed or bent to provide a more abrupt incline, as shown at 69, to insure a rapid partial opening of the needle valve upon the first turning of the throttle valve and lever to open the throttle valve.

41 and adapted to engage one end portion of the throttle valve lever when the throttle valve is closed. The movement of the valve in the opposite direction is correspondingly limited by a second stop screw 7 2 threaded through the same lug, extending at right angles to the first and adapted to engage the opposite end of the throttle valve lever when the throttle valve is fully opened. The carbureter body 10, immediately above its transverse partition wall 31 and preferably at a point diametrically opposite the float chamher, is formed with anair inlet passage 73 surrounded by a threaded annular flange 74 adapted to receive a perforated cap 75 in order that air admitted to the carbureter may be strained and freed of impurities. Immediately above this air inlet passage, the carbureter body is formed with an inwardly directed annular flange providing a valve seat 7 6 and above this valve seat, the body is flared to provide an annular valve chamber 77. A disk-shaped valve 78 engages the seat 7 6 and is formed centrally with a relatively large opening 7 9 through which the sleeve 38 projects. spring 80 engages between the upper face of this valve 78 and the lower end of the adjusting screw 54 and serves to normally hold the valve against its seat, the tension of this spring being readily adjusted by means of the screw 54. This spring preferably tapers in diameter from its lower to its upper end A helical in order that its lower end may be large enough to engage the valve adjacent its peripheral edge and so'hol'd it against 'tiltingf movement. A pipe 81- projects at one end into the intermediate portion ofthe gas gencrating chamber 32 and at its 'upperend projects upwardly into the outlet branch orpassage 43 of the carbureter, terminating substantially .midway of this passage and;

being formed with a frusto-con-ical valve seat 82 at'its end. A needle valve 83 has its valve stem 84 threaded through the upper- Wall of the outlet branch 43 in such a man her that the va1ve83 may be adjusted topermit passage of any desired amount of ga from thepipe 81 into the passage 43.- I The .outer end of the valve-stem Si is provided with a peripherally notched adjusting head 1 85 and a resilient pawl 86 mounted upon the inadjusted position.

carbureter engages in one or another ofthe notches of'this head to hold thevalve WVhen describing the operation, I' wiil as-' V sume that the carbureter is I connected to Y W the usual intake manifold of anin-ternalcombustion engine and that a liquid fuel sup- .ply pipe is properly connected to the-nipple i l8. 7 I will also assume that the; heatingco l and gas-will, therefore, combine in the 'passage 453' and pass through the manifold into a the various engine cylinders.

'VVhen the engine hasvbeen properly start 'ed, it maybe speeded up to any desired amount by further opening of the throttle valve to admit-more air andfalsoto admitmore fuel into the gas generating chamber 32'. It should zb'c noted that the. amount of air supplied i' s depende'nt upon the 'suctlon V of the engine, although it may be regulated h by means of the adjusting screw should also be noted 'that the quantlty of sci fuel supplied to' the gas generatingchamber 32 is independent of the engine suction being dependent solely upon the setting of the cam plate. 6Zfa'nd the extent to which thethrottle'valveis. opened. The valve 83 v is adjusted only to adapt the carburetento the particular type orrsize of engine with which. it is employed and after having been once properly set for a given engine remains unchanged. The float valve 23'i's necessary to insure "a uniform feedingjof liquidfuel' V for heating the fuel supplied to germ to the chamber 1 32 for anyfgi'ven setting of the valve 58 as withoutithis'flo'at valveythe pressure of liquid fuel'would varyaccord ingto the pressure on the fuel inthesup- 1 .ply tank or the 'depth of fuel therein, "dependentqupon whether a pressure or gravity:

feed tank was employed 'and-thesevariations in liquid pressure w'ouldfresultf in a 7 more or'less rapid flow offuejl past the 1 valve 58. r V 7 By forming the cam plate 67 properly and by adjustment of its-setting screw 68, a

propersupply of liquidf j to the n :7 bureter may be'insured at 'all-engine'speeds;

The sleeve '38eXtending1above the liquid? level in the float chamber prevents anyes-- capeof fuel',due toleakage about the valve stem 59.

It will be obvious that any desired means] 32 may be employedwithout inthe the chamber V hf?- iest degree departing' from the spiritiofmy invention For instanceg a heater'of the 3. 1%? l, v V i type shown in 'Fig. 6' will probablyjbe found" most practicable uponthe enginesof some motor vehicles because-of its saving of electric current. This form of heater, shown at 1 .87, is identical with that previously 'de-' scribed, with the exception that a pipe 88'is passeddiametrically through the lower por tion of the body of the heater and adapted to be connected to alpipe, not shown, leading from any suitable source of hot airsupply, such as a heating jacket about theexhaustmanifold of the engine. 'With this type. of heater in use, the gasgenerating'chamber. will beinitial-ly heated by passing a current through the heating coil and after the Jen carry on the gas generation and the electric current may be cut off.

In Fig. 7 .I have illustrated a form-bf; i '7 heater which is particularly adapted for use i upon stationary engines in which thefbody 89 of the heater is increased in length and gine has become heated, the hotair fur nlshed to the pipe 88 will be sufii ig t V formed aboutits upper portion with a. plu

rality of draft openings 90 and'a-t one'side;

with a relatively large 0pening:91 5 Within the body of the heater is disposed a-liquid fuel lamp orburner 92 having a-;wick or burner proper" 93 and a filling spout 94..' t

This burner is removablefromthe'heater i and may be readily filled by'applying'its to the drain cocke25 jof the Having thus described theinvention, I

filling spent 94 carbureter; v

is claimed as new is:

ILA carbureter including-abody provid ing a float chamber, a gas generating cham-- g her, and :an outlet passage, a "float valve adapted to maintain a constant fuel level inthe float'chamber, means for supplying liq j 'uid fuel from the float chamber tothegas "generating chamber including a fuel valve, means for leading gas from the'g'as chamber to the outletpassage, and means for supplyin primary air to the outlet passage at a point behind the-point of gas admission said 2. In a carbureter, a body providing a V and gas generating chamber, communicating float chamber, an air passage and a gas generatlng chamber open atits lower end, communicating means between the float chamber means between the gas generating chamber and outlet passage, means for supplying air to the outlet passage, a false bottom closing the lowerend of the gas generating chamber,

and a'heater engaged directly on the car bureter body and holdin the false bottom in place, said heater incluc ing a hollow body providing with the false bottom a chamber below the gas generating chamber and inclosing means for heating the false bottom, said means including an electrical heating coil and a pipe leading through the heater and adapted forcommunicative attachment with a source of hot air supply, the pipe being independent of the heater.

3. In a carbureter, a body providing a float chamber, a gas generating hamber and an outlet passage, the generating chamber and passage being separated by a partition web formed with an annular chamber in communication with the float chamber and with a bore centrally of the annular chamber, a valve seat forming plug threaded into the'bore and closing it and formed with a chamber and passages establishing communication between the chamber and the annular chamber, a valve operating in the plug and controlling passage of fuel from the chamber therein to the gas generating chamber, an air throttle valve controlling passage of air to the air passage, and operative connecfuel vapor chamber at its lower end, and a float chamber, means for maintaining a constant fuel level in the float chamber, a fuel valve controlling supply of fuel from the float chamber to the fuel vapor chamber, an

. inlet from the fuel vapor chamber to the outlet passage, means controlling supply of air to the carbureter, means controlling the opening of the fuel valve for governing the volume of flow through the said inlet into the outlet passage, and a throttle valve controlling the volume of air flowing from the carbureter through the outlet passage to provide with the fuel supply from the said inlet a fuel mixture, the said throttle valve controlling means governing the opening of the fuel valve.- a

5. In a carbureter, a body providing an outlet passage and a float chamber, a partition within the body defining one wall of a ga generating chamber disposed at one side of the partition and closed from the outlet passage thereby, means for admitting air to the outlet passage at the opposite side of the partition, a heater connected to the body and including a plate disposed tobe normally heated and providing another wall of the said gas generating chamber opposite to k cation between the gas generating chamber and the said outlet passage.

6. In a carbureter,. a body providing a float chamber, an air passage and a gas generating chamber open at its lower end, communicating means between the float chamber and gas generating chamber, communicating means between the gas generating chamber and air passage, means for supplying air to the air passage, a false bottom rested against the lower end of the gas generating chamber at the lower end of the body, and a hollow heater formed at its upper end with an outwardly offset flange seating said false bottom upon the offset of the flange and threaded onto the lower end of the body for securing the false bottom in place.

7. In a carbureter, a body providing an outlet passage and a float chamber, a fuel valve controlling. supply of fuel from the float chamber into the body and continued at its upper extremity to form an arm operatively engaged with the body for holding the valve against rotation but permitting vertical movement of the valve, a throttle valve controlling discharge of air through said passage, and means controlled by the throttle valve and coacting with said arm for openingthe fuel valve coincident with the opening of the throttle valve.

8. In a carbureter, a body providing an outlet passage and a float chamber, a plate closing the body at its upper end, a fuel valve controlling supply of fuel from the float chamber into the body and continued at its upper extremity to form a rebent portion having a downwardly directed terminal slidably engaged through said plate for holding the valve against rotation but permitting vertical movement of the valve, a throttle valve controlling discharge of air through said passage, and means controlled by the throttle valve and coacting with said arm for opening the throttle valve coincident with the opening of the fuel valve.

ingfprimary air to the outlet'ipassa'ge, dive at theentrance ofthe outlet pessage her through the partition, ineansj-for supply for controlling" air; discharge therethrough, and means for lending gas, from the gas gen erating chamber around the partition to, the. outlet'pass age at a point beyond that of primary air admission andbeyondsaid valve 7 in constantly open connnunioetion With the 3 discharge {end of said passage.

- 10. In afoerbureter, a body provi floaltehanibenja, gas generating ehamber and j cvflpi e lof-tlxisietenfc may be ob tained for iiirle' cents each, by. eddre s sing the Gomniiesinne n of.I'eitentg I I w fi mnc." Y 3 ding, a 7

7 an outlet passage; n partition olosing the gas generating ,ehamber; from the outlet pee.-

erating ohamberfaround thepartitiont the V outlet passage at ei-point heyondthet-of "I V primary airedmission and in constantlyf open communication with the disehargeend" 1 7 30 In t mo y w iedf f Liam)?in control"the flow of ga sw throughithe outlet Pa g sage,.means.for supplying liquid fuellirom the float" chamber I to" the gas generating 1f chamber through'said partition, inesu'lfs;150 -1 supplying vprimary to the outlet passegei A f d to ding-ge om th gaegen 

